


Don't Think

by miloron (ocoa)



Category: Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Angst, JR is mentioned heavily, middle of the night talks with best hyung hwang minhyun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-12-14 11:32:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11782266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ocoa/pseuds/miloron
Summary: Maybe he's just projecting, but Minhyun sees Jonghyun in Jihoon.





	Don't Think

**Author's Note:**

> Hit me up with plot suggestions or anything at my [askFM page](https://ask.fm/bugiron) hoho

It's only when he starts to live with Jihoon that he notices it. Jihoon seemed to shed off his facade fast when it's just them in the middle of the night, nursing hot cocoa that Minhyun instinctively makes the way Jonghyun likes, that Jihoon seems to like too.

The first night Minhyun notices, it strikes him like a eureka that Jihoon mirrors Jonghyun, sharing similarities so subtle yet so key to their persons that Minhyun is floored by it. He wonders how he's never seen it, how he's missed it all this time they knew each other.

Jihoon's stable the way Jonghyun is, yet he holds a light in his eyes that speaks of his youth. Jonghyun looked like that once, Minhyun thinks, but even when they met all those years ago there was a shadow that only consumed the stars in Jonghyun's eyes. Jihoon is bright, excited, hopeful, and Jonghyun is all those and both more and not and maybe Minhyun is projecting but he tries to notice more.

Their increasingly routine nights pass silently, with Minhyun setting the mug in front of Jihoon when he wanders in, his eyes hooded with insomnia and Minhyun doesn't say a thing. He can't sleep either. He's taken with watching Jihoon, seeing where his projections of Jonghyun start and end, when Jihoon stops being a shadow of Jonghyun and simply Park Jihoon.

The first time they talk, Jihoon asks if he missed Nu'est. Jihoon smiles when Minhyun doesn't hesitate, and there's a contemplative look in his eyes. "Kwon Hyup left," Jihoon says, the first time he opened up about the issue. "They ended their contract with Jong Yeon too."

Minhyun sips his drink, letting the quiet words fill the air.

"Everyone asked me if I was okay, but I don't know myself, because we never were that close." Jihoon presses the pads of his fingers to the mug, traces it. His eyes are carefully blank. "Now it's like I'm the only one left. And I feel like I should feel something but I don't. That's why, hyung, I'm jealous of you and the other Nu'est hyungs."

Minhyun doesn't always have the answer to everything, and he didn't have the answer to Jihoon's unasked question. He knows, better than most, that the future was never certain. So instead, he chooses his words carefully.

"Jonghyun was the first male trainee at Pledis," Minhyun says, "for a few months before Minki was scouted." He flexes his fingers against the grip of the cup's handles. "He told me he was lonely, as much as he was honoured. Said it was nice to get the noonas' attention."

Jihoon blinks, as if he finds it surprising. "Jonghyun-hyung said that?"

Minhyun snorted. "He was 13." He allows himself a grin, and Jihoon reflects it in a way that makes him look at least five years younger. "Anyway, he said he was scared, being the only one."

Jihoon's smile slips, and it turns sad for the moment that Jihoon allows it. Minhyun watches him carefully, smiling slightly when Jihoon looks up.

"You're similar to him, you know. Always taking responsibility, always sacrificing yourself to try and help others." Always hiding their true emotions.

Jihoon blinked, before he flushed and looked away. "Jonghyun-hyung is nothing like me, he's cool and kind and he's a good leader,"

Minhyun snorts, "you didn't live with him for six years." Jihoon grins, and Minhyun counts it as a win before he continues. "You may not be the same person, but you remind me of him. Especially back when we first debuted."

He remembers that Jonghyun well, the one that practiced till the middle of the night, who injured himself multiple times before the recording, who kept worrying but never let anyone in.

"He was scared of letting people know about his worries too."

Jihoon blinks owlishly. Minhyun smiles at him, patting his shoulder consolingly.

"It's okay, Jihoon, to be scared for your future. We're idols, we will always be scared. Before Produce, I was terrified that one day, Jonghyun would call and tell us that our contracts expired, and we would have nowhere to go, that our fight was for nothing. Even now, we might just be a passing trend."

Minhyun's chest twists even as he says it.

"Maybe by the time we go back to our company, you would debut solo. That's not a bad thing." Minhyun's mouth tilted upwards, as he pulled his forgotten drink closer to him. "Focus on the now."

Minhyun breathed in, remembers the words that Aron tells him the night before he left Pledis.

"Besides, you're not alone now."

The look in Jihoon's eyes wavers, and he finally gives a nod. He smiles, genuine and bright.

"I guess... you're right, hyung."

Minhyun smiles, ruffles Jihoon's hair.

"You better finish up soon, and get some sleep. Tomorrow we have an early schedule."

Jihoon nods, and Minhyun can't help the hum of fondness when he sees the boy sip at his drink. He thinks of Jonghyun.

He wonders if maybe Jonghyun would allow himself to stop worrying for just a little while.

Focus on the now.

Maybe Minhyun should start following his own advice.

**Author's Note:**

> Is it just me? The more I see Jihoon the more I think of Jonghyun, since they're both reallllllyyyy shy. 
> 
> But yes, of course my first (I think) non-JR centric story still involves JR somehow (hais) 
> 
> Anyway, I admit this doesn't have any focus, I just wanted to explore the similarities JR has with Jihoon and the relationship between Jihoon and Minhyun. I didn't actually have a story in mind so it might be a bit convoluted.


End file.
